British start-up behind back-to-basics, driver-focused midship aims to hand-build 12 cars this year
Warwickshire-based Wells Motor Cars is due to ramp up production of the Vertige – its 850kg mid-engined coupé – to around 12 cars this year, before doubling that figure in 2027.
The Vertige made its debut at the 2021 Goodwood Festival of Speed, having been conceived as founder Robin Wells’ dream sports car. Production of a limited run of Founders Edition cars began in 2023.
The Vertige’s design was finalised before any engineering work took place, after which point engineer Robin Hall – whose CV includes the Mika Meon electric buggy, FBS Census sports car and several stints at Mini, JLR and others – then developed a chassis to accommodate its compact proportions.
As well as being good to look at and fun to drive, Wells intended for the Vertige to be easy to live with. That manifested in a relatively simple powerplant: the proven Ford Duratec four-cylinder, here displacing 2.5 litres and putting out 208bhp in standard configuration.
An R specification with 250bhp – giving a power-to-weight ratio of 212.5bhp per tonne – has since been added to the range.
Inside, you get traditional clocks, a small touchscreen with Apple CarPlay connectivity and a wide range of custom finishes or upholstery options.
Robin Wells told Autocar: “Think of your various [Caterham] Sevens and scaffold-type cars. I want all of the sensation of something which is alive and peppy, but it’s super-solid, it’s got proper structure.
“If it rains, it doesn’t bother you: you’ve got a heated front windscreen. It’s got Apple CarPlay, Android Auto. It’s got Bluetooth, double glazing in the rear glass. It’s that sweet spot between something that is manual and back-to-basics in a sense of playing a piano, but it’s a beautiful piano.”
He added that “I’m deliberately making a simple vehicle”, because of “how frustrating it is to drive modern cars”.
“You can’t go anywhere without going through 100 menus and turning loads of stuff off, which then comes back on again if you’ve gone to get a coffee or something,” he explained.
“Peace of mind and quietness of mind is the new luxury, and that’s the philosophy that I’m following here.”
